Installation kit for portable air-conditioner

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an improved installation device ( 10 ) that is particularly useful for sealing windows of a hinged type. The installation device is configured to provide a sealed air exhaust via a hinged window ( 1 ). The installation device in accordance with the present invention comprises a rectangular part ( 6 ) comprising a hole ( 7 ) and at least one connector ( 15 ) configured to secure the rectangular part to the frame ( 5 ) of a window pane ( 4 ) of the hinged window in a position where the rectangular part covers a rectangular gap formed opposite the hinges of the hinged window when the hinged window is in a partly open position. By providing one or more connectors to secure the rectangular part to the frame of the window pane a sealing that efficiently covers the rectangular gap of the hinged window is provided. The sealing can fit different types of windows and is easy to mount. The connectors can advantageously be formed by clamps.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an air conditioner. In particular the present invention relates to a device for installing a portable air-conditioner.

BACKGROUND

Air conditioning is a collective expression for conditioning air into a desired state. It could be heating the air during cold periods, cooling the air during warmer periods or for cleaning the air if it contains unwanted particles. However, the expression air conditioning is most often used when emphasizing cooling. As a product, air conditioners can look and be used in various ways, but they all share the same basic technology. The air-conditioner comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and typically also an expansion device.

There are different types of air-conditioners. One type of air-conditioner can be referred to as a split air-conditioner. In a split air conditioner, the condenser and the evaporator are located in two different separated units that are interconnected via pipes to circulate a refrigerant from one unit to the other.

Another type of air-conditioner can be referred to a Packaged Air Conditioner. A Packaged Air Conditioner (AC) can be said to be a type of self-contained system, in which all the cooling cycle components, such as the compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator and control system are enclosed in a single package. Among the packaged systems, the most commonly used for residential applications are the Window-type ACs, Packaged Terminal AC's (PTAC), and also Portable AC (PAC) units.

The Packaged Air Conditioner has the advantages of easy installation, relatively small footprint, flexibility for heating/cooling individual rooms and low cost.

When installing an air-conditioner of a conditioner which has all its components contained in a single enclosure the evaporator fan circulates the air inside the room through the evaporator, lowering the temperature of the room. For the thermodynamic cycle to work, the condenser needs to be cooled down by passing air through it using the condenser fan. This air gets very hot, so to prevent it from heating up the room that the evaporator is cooling, it needs to be exhausted out of room. This is typically done by using a flexible duct/hose which is connected in one end to the outlet of the condenser fan and can be placed so as to direct the warm air out of the room, commonly through a window.

To prevent air from outside the room to enter through that opening, an installation kit is usually provided with the portable air-conditioner. The installation kit also termed window kit is used to prevent, typically, warm air from outside from entering the room. The window kit therefore needs a proper seal when connecting the duct to the window. A window kit providing such a seal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,578,728.

There is a constant desire to improve air conditioners. Hence, there exists a need for an improved air conditioner and in particular an improved installation device for installing portable air-conditioners.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved portable air-conditioner and in particular an improved device for installing an air-conditioner.

This object is obtained by a device as set out in the appended claims.

As has been realized by the inventor, window kits for portable air conditioners work well for windows that slides to open. However, the existing window kit are ill suited for windows of hinged type. When a hinged window is opened to let out warm air from the portable air-conditioner via ha hose or the like, the opening is not easily sealed to prevent air from re-entering the space being conditioned by the portable air-conditioner. When existing window kits are used to seal a hinged window, the result is typically that air is allowed to re-enter the air-conditioned space.

To solve this problem, an improved installation device that is particularly useful for sealing windows of a hinged type is provided. The installation device is configured to provide a sealed air exhaust via a hinged window. The installation device in accordance with the present invention comprises a rectangular part comprising a hole and at least one connector configured to secure the rectangular part to the frame of a window pane of said hinged window in a position where the rectangular part covers a rectangular gap formed opposite the hinges of the hinged window when the hinged window is in a partly open position. By providing one or more connectors to secure the rectangular part to the frame of the window pane a sealing that efficiently covers the rectangular gap of the hinged window is provided. The sealing can fit different types of windows and is easy to mount. The connectors can advantageously be formed by clamps.

In accordance with one embodiment, a first connector is provided at the top section of the rectangular part and a second connector is provided at the bottom part of the rectangular part. Hereby mounting is facilitated and the connection between the installation device and the window pane frame is improved.

In accordance with one embodiment, the rectangular part comprises a main part and a slidable part configured to slide in the main part such that the rectangular part has a variable length. Hereby the installation is made more versatile and can fit better in a large range of window sizes.

In accordance with one embodiment, an extension part connectable to the main part such that the main part is made longer is provided. Hereby a window installation kit that can fit very many different window sizes can be achieved and there is no need for providing different installation kits for different window sizes.

In accordance with one embodiment, an elastic triangle fabric configured to cover a triangular gap formed between the top or bottom side of the window pane and the window frame of a partly opened hinged window is provided. Hereby also the triangular gaps can be efficiently covered for different sizes of windows.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the elastic triangle fabric configured to cover a triangular gap formed between the top or bottom side of the window pane and the window frame of a partly opened hinged window is provided as a separate product or provided in an installation device with another mechanism for sealing the rectangular gap than the one det out above. For example, such an elastic triangle fabric can be provided with a rectangular part without connectors.

In accordance with some embodiments, the triangle fabric is elastic in itself or the triangle fabric is provided with an elastic band along the longer sides of the triangle fabric. Hereby an easy to manufacture elastic triangle fabric is provided.

In accordance with one embodiment, the tip of the elastic triangle fabric is provided with a fastener. Hereby installation of the triangle fabric is facilitated. For example, the fastener can be a hook.

In accordance with one embodiment, a strap for locking the window pane in a position where the width of the rectangular gap of a partly opened window corresponds to the width of the rectangular part is provided. Hereby the window can be held in a correct partly opened position when operating the portable air-conditioner and at the same time keep the window sealed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a hinged window.

FIG. 2 shows a general view of an AC installation through a window opening,

FIG. 3 illustrates an installation device for a hinged window,

FIG. 4 illustrates an installation device for a hinged window with covers for the triangular openings,

FIG. 5 illustrates the arrangement of FIG. 4 in a top view,

FIG. 6 illustrates a detail of FIG. 5 ,

FIG. 7 illustrates a detail of FIG. 2 , and

FIG. 8 shows a view from inside of the installation device with a strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, like or similar components of different embodiments can be exchanged between different embodiments. For example, an air conditioner can be described herein as a cooling system, but the cooler can equally be a heater if the system is run in a heating mode or in some other mode such as filtering mode. Some components can be omitted from different embodiments. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

Hinged type windows have a windowpane that pivots on hinges at one of its sides. FIG. 1 illustrates a hinged window 1 with a window pane 4. When these windows are partially open, the gap left open can be divided in three parts: a rectangular gap 21 on the side opposite from where the window pivots and two triangular gaps 22, one on each side adjacent to the pivoting side. When providing an installation device to seal the gaps of the partially opened hinged window, the installation device should preferably enable installation in all types of hinged windows or at least a waste range so that the installation device is possible to use in many types of hinged windows. This would eliminate the need to provide one special installation device for each particular size of hinged window. However, to provide such an installation device that can cover these gaps effectively is difficult.

In FIG. 2 an installation device 10 for sealing a hinged window 1 is shown. The window has a window pane 4. The window pane 4 is placed in a window pane frame 5. The window pane frame 5 is hinged in the window 1.

To provide an efficient sealing of the window 1 when the window 1 is opened to let air out from a space air-conditioned by a portable air-conditioner, the gap 21, and preferably also the gaps 22 (see FIG. 1 ) in the window 1 should be efficiently and securely sealed by the installation device 10.

In order to cover the rectangular gap 21 that appears on the right side (the side opposite from the hinges) when partially opening a hinged window 1, a rectangular part 6 with a hole 7 for the exhaust duct is provided. In accordance with some embodiments the rectangular part 6 is formed by a main body 16 into which main body 16 a slidable part 17 can enter to form a telescopic rectangular assembly. Hereby, a telescopic assembly, rectangular in shape, that can be adjusted to the length of the gap in the opened window that is to be covered provided. In some embodiments yet additional parts can be provided to increase the range of lengths that the rectangular part can cover. Thus, one or more additional parts 18 (extension part) can be used to make the rectangular part 6 have a desired length. The additional part(s) 18 can be of fixed length or can also be made slidable like the slidable part 17.

In FIG. 3 , an exemplary embodiment of an installation device 10 comprising such a rectangular part 6 is shown. In accordance with some embodiments the slidable part 17 is designed such that there is a certain amount of friction when sliding in the main body 16. In particular, the design can be such that the slidable part 17 will not move freely so that there need to be a force above a threshold value that the user needs to use to make the slidable part move in the main body 16 (or the extension part 17 of the main body 16). This ensures that the telescopic assembly formed by the rectangular part 6 and the telescopic part 17 stays at a length as adjusted by the user.

To secure the rectangular part 6 to the window, at least one window pane frame connector 15 is provided on the rectangular part 6. The connector(s) 15 can advantageously be provided on the top and bottom section of the rectangular part 6, but it is also envisaged that one or more window pane frame connectors 15 are provided on the side of the rectangular part 6. In accordance with some embodiments, clamps are used as window pane frame connectors 15. For example, one clamp can be attached to the telescopic part 17 and another clamp is attached to the main body 16. These clamps fix the rectangular part to the top and bottom of the windowpane and can be adjusted to different windowpane frame thicknesses. In one embodiment, the clamps use an elastic or spring to create the force that compresses them to the windowpane frame. In another embodiment, the clamps can be manually adjusted to compress the windowpane frame and then fixed in position by using a screw or bolt.

Having covered the rectangular gap 21, for example using the rectangular part 6, there are triangular gaps 22 left on the top and bottom of the window. These two triangular openings are typically the same size and one of the sides of the triangular gaps is the same length as the width of the rectangular part 6. The length of the other two sides of the triangular gap 22 is determined by the width of the window 1.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the triangular gaps 22, are covered by fabric triangles 35. This is shown in FIG. 4 . Thus, fabric triangles 35 are provided to cover the triangular gaps 22 of a hinged window to avoid/reduce air from recirculating to a space that is air-conditioned and where air is let out from the space via the hinged window 1. The elastic fabric forming the fabric triangles 35 can for example be a fabric that is elastic in itself or it can be a fabric having elastic bands along the sides thereof or some other mechanism that makes it possible to stretch the lengths of the elastic fabric to fit a multitude of different window sizes. In accordance with one embodiment one side of the triangle (usually the shortest) has the same length as the width of the rectangular part and the other two sides are provided with elastics so that they can be extended to cover a range of window widths. The fabric triangles 35 are then secured to the hinged side of the window. This is shown in FIG. 5 at B.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the area B in FIG. 5 . In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , a hook 37 is attached to the tip of the fabric triangle 35 and is used as fastener to secure the tip of the fabric triangle 35 to the hinged side of the window 1. In other embodiments other means for securing the fabric triangle 35 to the hinged side of the window can be used as a fastener such as a loop formed in the fabric triangle 35 and stretched over the corner of the window pane frame 5. In one embodiment, different triangle fabric sizes are used to cover different window size ranges. In one embodiment, the hook is connected to the tip of the triangle by a strap with adjustable length that can be adjusted to different window sizes.

Further, by providing elastics only on the edges of the fabric triangle 35, the triangular shape can be maintained as the elastics are tensioned. In one embodiment, the short side of the triangle (facing the rectangular part 6) also is provided with elastics that used to provide the compression force for the connector(s) such as a clamp. In accordance with some embodiments, the fabric triangles 35 are made of a waterproof fabric.

In use, the window can then be closed until the rectangular part 6 is compressed between the frame 5 of the windowpane and the window frame. The window pane 4 can be fixed in this position by using a hook connected to a strap 39 as is shown in FIG. 7 which is an enlargement of the area A in FIG. 2 .

A hook 41 as seen in FIG. 8 connected to the strap is hooked to the window frame. In accordance with some embodiments the strap 39 is connected to one of the connectors 15. By pulling from the strap, the window is secured in place. The strap in FIGS. 7 and 8 is pulled from the side of the window towards which the window opens, however, in another embodiment the strap can be arranged to be pulled from the other side of the window 1.

In this way, the rectangular part 6 can cover the rectangular gap in windows with a wide variety of heights and thicknesses. The rectangular part 6 can be securely attached by means of the connectors 15. Also, in addition or as an alternative the triangular gaps can be covered by triangle fabrics having an elastic property.

Using the invention provides for easy installation and removal. No modifications on the window that could leave a permanent mark are required. It is further possible to provide a single installation device that can be made to fir a variety of window sizes. 

1. An installation device (10) configured to provide a sealed air exhaust via a hinged window (1), the device comprising a rectangular part (6) comprising a hole (7) and at least one connector (15) configured to secure the rectangular part (6) to the frame (5) of a window pane (4) of said hinged window (1) in a position where the rectangular part covers a rectangular gap formed opposite the hinges of the hinged window when the hinged window is in a partly open position.
 2. The installation device (10) according to claim 1, wherein a first connector (35) is provided at the top section of the rectangular part and a second connector (35) is provided at the bottom part of the rectangular part.
 3. The installation device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are formed by clamps.
 4. The installation device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular part comprises a main part (16) and a slidable part (17) configured to slide in the main part such that the rectangular part (6) has a variable length.
 5. The installation (10) device according to claim 4, further comprising an extension part (18) connectable to the main part such that the main part is made longer.
 6. The installation device (10) according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic triangle fabric (35) configured to cover a triangular gap formed between the top or bottom side of the window pane and the window frame of a partly opened hinged window.
 7. The installation device (10) according to claim 6, wherein the triangle fabric is elastic in itself.
 8. The installation device (10) according to claim 6, wherein the triangle fabric is provided with an elastic band along the longer sides of the triangle fabric.
 9. The installation device (10) according to claim 6, wherein the tip of the elastic triangle fabric (35) is provided with a fastener (37).
 10. The installation device (10) according to claim 9, wherein the fastener is a hook.
 11. The installation device (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a strap (39) for locking the window pane in a position where the width of the rectangular gap of a partly opened window corresponds to the width of the rectangular part. 